Flange frame and assembly set for pre-assembling and/or transporting and/or assembling a tower segment for a wind turbine, and methods

Abstract

A flange frame and to an assembly set for preassembling and/or for transporting and/or for assembling a tower segment for a wind turbine and/or a tower section of a wind turbine and/or a tower of a wind turbine, and also to methods. The flange frame comprises two flange sections for fastening the flange frame in a releasable manner on a horizontal flange of a tower segment, also comprises a lifting bolt for the engagement of a sling-like lifting unit, and further comprises a supporting element for supporting the flange frame on a standing surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A flange frame for transporting or assembling a tower segment for a wind turbine, a tower section of a wind turbine, or a tower of a wind turbine, comprising:
 at least two flange sections for fastening the flange frame in a releasable manner on a horizontal flange of a tower segment, 
 a lifting module comprising a lifting bolt and engagement elements for engagement with a sling-like lifting unit, wherein the lifting bolt is arranged in a central region of the lifting module and the engagement elements are arranged on opposing sides of the lifting bolt, wherein the sling-like lifting unit is configured to be guided over an end of the lifting bolt and butt against part of an outer circumferential surface of the lifting bolt, wherein the lifting bolt is a protrusion that projects from a surface, 
 a supporting element for supporting the flange frame on a standing surface, and 
 a transportation module, wherein the transportation module and the lifting module are connected to one another in a releasable manner. 
 
     
     
       2. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transportation module comprises the at least two flange sections and the supporting element. 
     
     
       3. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least two flange sections are spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the horizontal flange. 
     
     
       4. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting element is configured to be stacked between first and second supporting elements of adjacent first and second flange frames such that a lower end of the supporting element, in a transportation state, is supported on an upper end of the first supporting element and an upper end of the supporting element, in the transportation state, supports a lower end of the second supporting element of the second flange frame. 
     
     
       5. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting element is designed to be fitted on the horizontal flange of a tower segment, wherein the supporting element does not extend beyond an outer surface of a tower-segment wall. 
     
     
       6. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting element is designed to be fitted on the horizontal flange of the tower segment, wherein the supporting element extends beyond a plane which connects two vertical flanges of the tower segment. 
     
     
       7. The flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting element is designed such that a lower end of the supporting element, in a transportation state, is supported on an upper end of a further supporting element, which is arranged on a horizontal flange of a further tower segment. 
     
     
       8. An assembly set for preassembling, transporting, and/or assembling a tower segment or a tower section of a wind turbine, comprising the flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising a first transportation module, and a second transportation module, wherein the first and second transportation modules are of different designs. 
     
     
       10. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising a plurality of identically designed lifting modules. 
     
     
       11. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second transportation modules have different dimensions. 
     
     
       12. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein flange sections of the first transportation module are designed for fastening on a horizontal flange of a first tower segment with a first radius and flange sections of the second transportation module are designed for fastening on a horizontal flange of a second tower segment with a second radius, wherein the first radius differs from the second radius. 
     
     
       13. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first transportation module has first connecting elements for releasable connection to the lifting module, and wherein the second transportation module has second connecting elements for releasable connection to the lifting module. 
     
     
       14. The assembly set as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein positions of the first and second connecting elements differ. 
     
     
       15. A method for preassembling, transporting, and/or assembling a tower segment or a tower section of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
 fastening the at least two flange sections of the flange frame as claimed in  claim 1  on a horizontal flange of a tower segment, 
 fitting the sling-like lifting unit on the lifting bolt by the sling-like lifting unit being guided over the end of the lifting bolt and butting against part of the outer circumferential surface of the lifting bolt, and 
 raising the flange frame by the sling-like lifting unit. 
 
     
     
       16. A method for transporting a tower segment or a tower section of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
 fastening the at least two flange sections of a first flange frame as claimed in  claim 1  on a horizontal flange of a first tower segment, 
 fastening flange sections of a second flange frame on a horizontal flange of a second tower segment, 
 fitting the sling-like lifting unit on the lifting bolt by guiding the sling-like lifting unit over the end of the lifting bolt and butting against part of the outer circumferential surface of the lifting bolt, 
 raising the flange frame by the sling-like lifting unit, and 
 arranging the first and second tower segments one above the other by lowering of the first tower segment such that a lower end of the supporting element of the first flange frame is supported on an upper end of the supporting element of the second flange frame. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for preassembling, assembling a tower segment or tower section for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
 fastening the at least two flange sections of a first flange frame as claimed in  claim 1  on a horizontal flange of a first tower segment, 
 fastening at least two flange sections of a second flange frame on a horizontal flange of a second tower segment, 
 arranging the first and second tower segments one beside the other such that a first vertical flange of the first tower segment and a first vertical flange of the second tower segment are located opposite one another, 
 connecting the horizontal flanges of the first and second tower segments by a connecting-flange piece, and 
 connecting the first and second flange frames by a strut. 
 
     
     
       18. The method as claimed in  claim 17 , comprising:
 altering a distance between a second vertical flange of the first tower segment and a second vertical flange of the second tower segment in relation to one another by the strut. 
 
     
     
       19. The method as claimed in  claim 17 , comprising:
 connecting the first vertical flange of the first tower segment to the first vertical flange of the second tower segment. 
 
     
     
       20. The method as claimed in  claim 17 , comprising:
 fastening flange sections of a third flange frame on a horizontal flange of a third tower segment; 
 arranging the first, second, and third tower segments one beside the other such that a second vertical flange of the first tower segment and a first vertical flange of the third tower segment are located opposite one another and the first vertical flange of the second tower segment and a second vertical flange of the third tower segment are located opposite one another, 
 connecting the horizontal flange of the third tower segment to the at least two flange sections of the first and second tower segments by two connecting-flange pieces, and 
 connecting the third flange frame of the third tower segment to the two flange frames of the first and second tower segments by two struts. 
 
     
     
       21. The method as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising:
 connecting the second vertical flange of the first tower segment to the first vertical flange of the third tower segment, and connecting the first vertical flange of the second tower segment to the second vertical flange of the third tower segment. 
 
     
     
       22. A wind turbine comprising:
 a tower segment, and 
 a tower section having been transported or assembled in accordance using the flange frame as claimed in  claim 1 .